


The Family Business

by titaniumsansa



Series: Sunkelles Birthday Extravaganza 2017 [6]
Category: Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - Monster Hunters, Alternate Universe - Supernatural Hunters, F/F, F/M, Flashbacks, References to Supernatural (TV), Sisters, Supernatural Elements
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-16
Updated: 2018-06-05
Packaged: 2018-10-19 12:13:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 3,672
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10639629
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/titaniumsansa/pseuds/titaniumsansa
Summary: supernatural au with Artemis and Jade basically as hunters in the Supernatural universe, don't need to know anything about the show to read this.Jade and Artemis hunt the things that go bump in the night with their dad-until he disappears.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sunkelles](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunkelles/gifts).



> AN: I do not own anything.
> 
> Let’s pretend that Paula and Lawrence were demon hunters but she dies when Artemis is young (like Mary Winchester). Paula was a little more practical than Lawrence and left things for the girls. Lawrence =John Winchester and let’s be honest it’s not that big of a stretch. Saying it now, I like compound bows the best even though I think Artemis uses a composite bow in the show. HAPPY BIRTHDAY SUNKELLES!

If they were in a movie, Jade might whisper for her to be quiet, to stay still, and _don’t move a fucking muscle._ It’s not a movie, Artemis has already had the instincts drilled into her. Jade exhales and Artemis can feel the movement as she Jade pulls the trigger. The wendigo they’ve been hunting for the past few days lets out a low yell, an echo of its former humanity as it burns. It’s over in under a minute as the red and orange flames change to blue, and Artemis crinkles her nose at the smell of burned meat and hair. The fire stays for a minute or two after it’s dead, lighting up the dark forest.

“Let’s get dinner, if you still want to eat after this,” Jade gestures to the crispy wendigo and Artemis nods. All she wants is food and a nap. Dad’ll come back to the motel when he’s done and things will be fine. It’s a routine for a reason, Artemis thinks as she and Jade put their flamethrowers in the trunk.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This doesn't matter but I thought Wynonna Earp wasn't so specific about the demons and after watching part of it I can safely say I was wrong but I'm still keeping the name drop.

Artemis sleeps with wet hair next to her, but Jade waits. Dad should be back, any minute he should walk through the door. He doesn’t come back, not before Jade closes her eyes and rests her head against the wall.

“Jade. Jade. Dad’s not back,” the words make her wake up quicker than coffee.

“What? What do you mean he’s not back?” Jade asks and the look on her face is enough of an answer.

“Pack. I’m gonna go see if the Impala’s still out there,” Jade says, the command is clear in her voice. Artemis nods as she gets out of bed. 

“Happy fucking birthday to me,” Artemis mutters under her breath.

The next place they stop at with wifi, Artemis is going to finish her online classes and get a diploma early. Of course dad can’t leave a note or just tell them where he’s going because that would be logical.

Jade is all angry lines and tense muscles she’s gonna regret later, when they have to stop. The Impala purrs as Jade speeds down the empty road and Artemis wonders if they’ll be alone, not just without a mom, but without a dad. Artemis wonder if they’d be called orphans if their dad’s dead, but she’s pretty sure that’s reserved for kids without parents. She’ll be eighteen soon and Jade’s almost old enough to drink.

* * *

 

“No one has fucking _ seen  _ him, not the Brit, not the pastor, not Wynonna, not the Harvelles and none of his friends. No one knows what the hell he’s up to,” Jade tells Artemis with a slam of the car door.

“So what do we do now?” Artemis asks, sharply aware they could just go and be normal. Maybe get rid of a few of the guns, get jobs, have normal lives and routine.

“We keep hunting,” Jade says it like it’s the most obvious thing in the world. Artemis shoots her a look as she starts the Impala.

“I’m not going to sleep easier at night knowing there are three less people hunting the shit that goes bump in the night. We know how to do this, we have the resources, and we can do it. I wanna keep going,” Jade says. Their dad might be dead, might not come back, might have just abandoned them, but Artemis agrees. Part of her kind of wanted to try college and picket fences for a while, hang out with the kinds of people she’s never really interacted with. The picket fence kids are especially an odd group of people, Artemis can’t imagine having two parents on her case, Lawrence was enough.

“Take the next right, I guess we have a case. I’ve been tracking this series of witch attacks in Washington, it’s landed four people in the hospital already,” Artemis says and Jade grins as she turns on the radio. It’s a start.


	3. Coffee and Pie

Artemis talks up the locals at the diner and Jade takes the bar, they’ll compare notes back at the motel, later. It’s just another job, just another day, another case hunting shit that goes bump in the night. 

“Can I get ice cream, Dad?” a little girl asks and her father smiles, eyes crinkling. 

“If you have room after dinner,” he promises and Artemis feels unsettled looking at them, so she looks back to her plate. There’s nothing on where their dad went, nothing, no breadcrumbs, no note shoved into the glovebox, nothing. There’s just-nothing. Artemis ignores the cold feeling that sits on her at the thoughts that come.

“Do you want a refill on your coffee? It’s pretty late, you won’t be able to go to sleep at a decent hour,” the waitress warns, wrinkles showing she smiles and laughs. She’s been nice, and Artemis has been awful with smalltalk with her so far.

“I can take another cup. College kid. I don’t know what sleep is,” Artemis jokes and the waitress raises an eyebrow but pours coffee into her cup anyway.

“Don’t stay here too long,” the waitress warns and Artemis looks up at her.

“We close in an hour. Sorry, that sounded like a threat. Maybe I need coffee,” the waitress jokes and Artemis relaxes and lets out a laugh.

“I’ll be gone in a few minutes, just want to drink my coffee and get some pie to go,” Artemis says, but the warning sounded genuine. She’ll text Jade soon.

* * *

 

“It’s a personal vendetta, young local warlock. Open and closed. I think he’s a borrower, the magic’s too dark to be something he was born with and developed so quickly. Plus the cops I talked to reported a sulfur smell, which means a demon,” Jade says and grins as she sees the takeout container that has her name on the top.

“Thank you,” Jade says and looks over at Artemis typing away on her laptop for a few more seconds. 

“You are now looking at an official high school graduate,” Artemis declares proudly. After her first bite of pie Jade manages to speak.

“Good. I’m proud of you. Mom would be too,” Jade says quietly, but truthfully. Artemis doesn’t remember much of their mom, they were young when they lost her, but Jade remembers. When they were younger, left behind somewhere while their dad was hunting, Jade would braid her hair and tell her stories, and sometimes they were of their mom. 

“Really?” Artemis looks up from her glowing laptop and Jade nods, setting her plastic fork in the container.

“I don’t remember what she believed in, where she thought she’d go. But she loved us. If she’s up there somewhere, she loves us and she’s proud. We made it, despite everything,” Jade says and Artemis bites her lip.

“Despite dad,” Artemis mutters bitterly.

“We could have been normal,” Artemis says.

“Yeah, if a demon hadn’t killed mom. If dad wasn’t off his rocker. But we’ve saved lives. Remember the Fosters in Michigan? We saved them. Remember that kid you saved from getting sacrificed? What we do matters even if no one else really knows we do it. We don’t do it because we want normal. We do it because we have to. We do it to make the world safe. And deep down, you know that you wouldn’t want a normal life. You know what’s out there, do you really think we’d be able to live somewhere without salt next to us? Iron under our pillows? We won’t get normal, I’ve come to terms with that,” Jade says and Artemis is angry that tears are escaping her eyes.

“So we do this until we die at the old age of thirty? When does it end? I don’t want to die in an unmarked grave. I don’t want to bury you. I don’t wanna bury Dad until he’s old and has white hair. I thought someday, we’d be done with this. If we keep doing this, kids and dating and all of that picket fence stuff is out. Even if the idea of you hunting demons in a minivan makes me laugh,” Artemis sighs and her throat is tight.

“Someday. Just not now. If-if we leave, we should at least train replacements. There’s barely any hunters out there as it is,” Jade speaks after a long minute. Artemis’s laptop screen turns off, but she doesn’t look at it.

“Promise me. Someday. I don’t want to be like some of dad’s friends. Stuck cursing old age and worrying about demons and still trying to hunt when my knees are shit,” Artemis says and Jade sighs.

“I promise,” Jade says and Artemis relaxes.

“Are you up for stopping a warlock right now?” Jade asks, looking at her pie and then back to Artemis.

“Eat your pie and then I’ll be ready to go,” Artemis says instead of any of the other things she could say, should say.


	4. Vegas

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Totally ignoring the fact Wynonna Earp as a person and a show only goes after specific demons.

They’re out on the road again, listening to an alternative station as Jade drives.

“Where exactly are we going again?” Jade asks. The dark highway just has truckers at this point, and the random car they pass.

“Vegas. Something’s putting people in comas and it seems like a pattern. I’m working on a few theories, but I won’t have a solid answer until we get wifi,” Artemis answers.

“The fact the victims are alive is a hint. That rules out quite a few monsters,” Jade says casually. Artemis hears her phone beep.

“Who’s texting you at this hour?” Jade asks.

“Roy. Archer dude who has the red arrows? I think he’s got a crush on you or something. He replied to a question I had and told me to tell you he says hi,” Artemis grins and Jade rolls her eyes.

“He’s cute. Not sure if I’m thrilled about him having a crush,” Jade says as she looks at the sign they’re about to pass to see how far they are from Vegas. 

“Like you don’t like him back,” Artemis rolls her eyes and Jade turns up the radio instead of answering.

* * *

 

One of the great things about Vegas is that they get into a motel at a time somewhere between being classified as late night and early morning, but the clerk at the front desk seems unfazed. Neon greets their eyes in their room, this motel’s obviously meant for tourists. Still, the sheets are clean and there’s nothing nasty that Jade finds under a blacklight other than some random glitter. It’s time to get some sleep, even with the glow of the hallway and the sign outside.

* * *

 

“Wynonna and Waverly mentioned they thought they saw Dad. But whoever it was-he didn’t stick around Purgatory and they didn’t get a good look. Waverly says hi. Dolls sent a few files he thought we might want on some stuff that goes bump in the night. Everyone’s doing well over there,” Artemis says as Jade sets down a bag of food and a to go cup of coffee. “It’s probably not him. We don’t need him anyway. I’ll look at those files while you eat,” Jade says and Artemis nods. It’s a good start, Artemis has a list to narrow down before they can start knocking on doors and getting intel.

“I’m gonna turn on the news, see what’s going on in Vegas,” Jade says and Artemis nods as she takes her first sip of coffee.

“We now know the name of the latest victim in this coma craze-46 year old stage magician Giovanni Zatara. His daughter could not be reached for comment. Back to you at the station, John,” a woman in blue says and they see a man in a suit begin to talk about sports.

“We need to get to the bottom of this fast. This thing doesn’t seem to have a cooldown period,” Jade says and Artemis nods before she takes another sip of coffee.


	5. Good supernatural

“You’re sure this is the right address? This is pretty normal looking. Don’t magicians have weird houses? Like bright colors and stuff in their yard?” Jade asks. Artemis sighs.

“I’m sure. Just because they don’t have a floating deck of cards in their front yard and a funhouse mess of a front door doesn’t mean it isn’t their house,” Artemis says and Jade turns off the engine. Go time then, Jade leads the way to the front door, a warm red instead of something odd like she expected. Jade rings the doorbell and they wait. After a minute, the door is cracked, but there’s no hint to see who opened it.

“Are you Zatanna Zatara?” Artemis asks. The cracked door almost shuts.

“No comment,” the girl says.

“We’re trying to fix this. Someone is doing this to people and we want to stop them,” Jade says and the door cracks open slightly more.

“Someone or  _ something _ ?” Zatanna asks and she’s even prettier in person than she is on the ads for her magic shows. Artemis forgets what she was planning on saying before Zatanna showed her face.

“You’re hunters right? Kill the bad supernatural and leave the good?” Zatanna asks. Jade snorts.

“I don’t think we’ve ever run into  _ good _ supernatural,” Jade tells her and Zatanna rolls her eyes at that.

“Come in. With your hunting knowledge and my books we might find a solution. I think it’s a sleep monster, drawing power from the victims-we need to find and kill the monster before the first victim dies, it’s Vicky Rutherford, she’s 67,” Zatanna says as she opens the front door for them to get through.

“Also, love the car,” Zatanna says.

“Thanks,” Artemis manages to say and Jade rolls her eyes at her sister as they enter Zatanna’s house. Artemis ignores that, and wonders what Zatanna meant by  _ good _ supernatural. She’s got a few texts to send, see what their friends think of that. 

Maybe their luck is crappy and they only ever run into monsters and assholes.

Maybe Zatanna’s naive. 

Only time will tell.


	6. Good Witch

“I think it’s a djinn,” Zatanna offers an hour later, after they’ve been buried in books and journals and Jade frowns. Zatanna’s been a nice hostess, keen on finding the source of the trouble-partially for her father-but also because they had been investigating it together before he was put in a coma.

“Lot of victims for one djinn,” Jade replies and Zatanna nods. Another time, Artemis would love to look at the lush library of the Zataras-take in the thick carpet and the custom wooden bookshelves. It’s pretty unlikely that Zatanna is  _ just _ a magician, she seems to know way too much to be using slight of hand and trick doors. Maybe she has actual magic, like real witch. Jade’s never met a  _ good _ witch though, which makes her suspicious of the magician. 

“I read a hunter’s journal from a while ago-it had a family of them hunting. It’s really rare though, they’re usually secluded hermits,” Artemis speaks up. Zatanna’s eyes meet hers.

“So we might be looking for a family or group of djinn. Is there anything else either of you can think of that could do this?” Jade asks and Zatanna closes her eyes.

“No. Not anything plausible that could pull this off. I can find them if you can take them down,” Zatanna offers and Jade narrows her eyes at that.

“What do you mean you can find them?” Jade inquires, arms crossed.

“I have magic. Real magic. I can help you find them with a location spell,” Zatanna says and Jade frowns.

“It’s really easy to trick people in Vegas,” Jade says.

“It’s harder to help them. I know. I grew up here. My dad and I practice magic, we don’t hurt anyone, and we make money pretending we’re illusionists,” Zatanna explains defensively.

“Hey, we all want this over. We’d love your help if you can locate them,” Artemis says. Zatanna glances at Jade then back to the book she’s looking at.

“It is-really really unusual that these djinn have been leaving their victims for people to find. Usually these people die with the djinn and they’re never found,” Zatanna reminds them.

“Maybe it’s guilt?” Artemis asks.

“They’re not serial killers suddenly having remorse after killing them. Humans are food, they do this to survive,” Jade retorts.

“They’re still sentient, but they need stopped, regardless,” Zatanna says. At least that’s something they can all agree on, besides the fact they have a cool car.

* * *

“I know we don’t have much time, but can we get backup? We don’t know how many of them there are,” Artemis suggests.

“We also need supplies. A lot of salt, silver, and lamb’s blood,” Jade says. Artemis notices when Zatanna scrunches her nose at that, but comes up with a list.

“I can fight if you need me to. But aren’t they weak to fire? If they’re in that abandoned warehouse we could just set it on fire and contain it,” Zatanna suggests. Jade shakes her head.

“Too risky, djinn usually keep their victims, we might kill humans,” Jade says.

“I know places to get your supplies, when are we doing this?” Zatanna asks, putting her hair in a neat ponytail.

“Today while there’s light out, if possible,” Jade decides and Zatanna bites her lip.

“Guess we’d better get supplies soon then,” Artemis jokes.

“I’ll make a few calls, see if anyone has advice, is it okay if I set up in here?” Jade asks and Zatanna nods.

“Make yourselves at home,” Zatanna tells them.

“Actually, I think we’re gonna divide and conquer-do you wanna come with me for supplies? You know Vegas way better than I do,” Artemis says and Jade wants to roll her eyes because now is not the time for flirting. Zatanna doesn’t seem to notice and grins at the idea of getting to go with her in that gorgeous car.

“I’d love to,” Zatanna says, looking back at Jade.

“I’ll text if there’s anything else to pick up or if I learn anything new,” Jade promises. Artemis follows Zatanna out her front door and wonders about her aversion to blood. Maybe there is good supernatural, and maybe she should investigate further. Zatanna Zatara is fascinating.


	7. Djinn and tonic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The girls make a plan and execute it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: This took forever to get out, but having supernatural on TV helped haha.

No one looks at them buying lamb’s blood, rock salt, or silver. It does help that Vegas is weird and full of people buying odd stuff.

“How long have you been hunting?” Zatanna asks as they put supplies in the backseat.

“Years. Since my dad thought I was old enough to hunt. What about you, how long have you been using magic?” Artemis asks, watching Zatanna’s face.

“Since I was a kid,” Zatanna tells her, meeting her gaze. Artemis can’t help but wonder if Zatanna had a normal childhood-or at least, more normal than hers. Maybe they’re not that different-she thinks. Maybe after this is done, they’ll keep in contact. They’ll be back in Vegas sooner or later and it’d be nice to have another contact.

Contact. Artemis looks over at Zatanna when they stop at the red light. She and Jade have a few contacts and fewer friends. Every friend that’s lasted past a move has known the truth about the shit that goes bump in the night.

* * *

 When they get back, Zatanna does the location spell with just a few words and a map. For some reason, the containers of blood, knives, and bags of rock salt don’t look out of place in Zatanna’s living room-along with the odd books and dark wood.

“That’s a warehouse district,” Zatanna says, tracing a circle around the area with her finger.

“Then let’s go,” Jade says, looking to Artemis.

“I’m coming with you,” Zatanna informs them, and Jade raises an eyebrow at that.

“I have some spells that could help. And we don’t know what to expect or how many there are-one more set of eyes and hands could come in handy,” Zatanna points out and Artemis nods.

“Do you want a knife or a gun?” Jade asks, looking through her duffle bag.

“Knife,” Zatanna answers and Jade hands one to her. Artemis isn’t sure if she likes this plan, but Zatanna is right.

* * *

The warehouse is devoid of light. The lamb’s blood smells like rust on the knife, but Zatanna sticks close to Artemis-wielding the flamethrower in front of them protectively. There’s nothing like straining their eyes in the dark, waiting. For noise, for a smell to hit, to see something, taste something in the air other than dust.

The first hint of light is blue, eyes in the dark that Zatanna _knows_ can see them. There’s a blue glow that must be the djinn’s hands and Artemis strains to look at the victim. She doesn’t recognize them but they aren’t awake.

Zatanna whispers something and the knife in her hand goes into the djinn’s neck. She recoils at the thud- but another pair of eyes appears, and turns a lamp a few feet away. There are several pairs of eyes watching them and her eyes snap to Jade who’s staring at the victim a few feet away.  After a moment, Jade yanks them away from the dead djinn next to her, back to the safety of behind Artemis and Zatanna. The victims are a priority and she knows her sister will guard her six.

“If we kill them, their victims will wake up,” Zatanna reminds her and Jade shakes her head for a second, trying to snap out of it. Artemis doesn’t hesitate in letting fire errupt out of the flamethrower into the wave of djinn in front of them. Jade drags the victim away, past them and Zatanna dispatches the next few with another knife dipped in blood.

“I don’t see anyone left,” Artemis says, as she and Zatanna they look around the mostly empty warehouse. There’s some dirty bedding, and not much else in the glow of their flashlights-no one else in the building.

“Let’s go find Jade. Then we can check that person into a hospital and drop you off to check on your dad,” Artemis says and Zatanna nods.


End file.
